The Schedule 2015
Tuesday January 27 Evening
(Watch for The 2016 Schedule Early Fall)
You're Invited to Join Us for
An Incredible Adventure
of Serious Study, Amazing Fun, and Lifelong Friends!
We Can't Wait to Welcome You to KAX!
An Optional Visit to The Magic Castle
Details for Shuttle and Costs on
Wednesday January 28 Daytime
Small Group Escorted Tours of Axtell Studios throughout the day.
(Please select your shuttle time as you register.
Before or After your Axtell tour, explore on your own or with a group, the beauty of the beach, the Harbors, and Downtown Ventura. Enjoy the shops, and restaurants.
In the area discover, The Channel Islands, Wine Tours, The Reagan Library, and the original Patagonia Store!
Wednesday January 28, Evening: KAX Conference Begins:
The First KAX KIDshow Auction
6:00 PM KAX Registration Opens
7:00 PM KAX Opening Ceremonies, Welcome and The First Ever KAX KIDshow Auction featuring Auctioneer Exraordinare Gary Shelton!
Music by Men on The Moon with Very Special Guests, after The Auction.
Cash Bar Available
Thursday January 29th: KAX Conference
8:30 AM KAX: The KIDabra Midyear
Registration Open
Vendors Open 9:00 AM
Your host for the day is Annie Banannie
10:00 Barry Mitchell
Hero Magic, Music, & More
Look! Up on the stage! It’s a mammal… It’s a human… It’s a hero… No, it’s just Barry. He’s pretending to be a hero again. Faster than a speeding email; he will share fun magic, props, and DIY projects. Learn how you can add heroes to your show. Every child and adult loves heroes and Barry has created a legion of silly super hero identities and will transform into many of them.
But Wait, there’s more! The hero theme is going to be around forever. Marvel has NINE hero movies in the works. One of the most popular birthday party themes is super heroes. Bring your super ears and laser vision to learn how to Super Up your shows. Special appearance by Super Shell, hero turtle.
A KAX World Premiere Feature Lecture!
11:00 AM Buster Balloon
Theatrical Twisting
Children's entertainers know that the journey is as, and sometimes more important than the destination. This is a lecture on how to choreograph and script your balloon sculptures to create maximum impact. Add in great gags, and you have a winner from one of the world's Best!
A KAX Don't Miss Feature Lecture!
Noon: Lunch
Items available for purchase in The Market and great restaurants are around the area.
1:30 PM Silly Scott:
The Live Show
with an invited group of kids, and chat afterwards.
3:00 PM Duane Laflin:
Grand Magical Entertainment
"The key to success is not how good we are, it is how good we make people feel." Duane shares tricks and concepts developed in his recent and very successful Castle Of Magic theme park show. He speaks, as an an experienced showman, about performing in a way that makes children and adults happy to be your audience.
Duane remains actively involved in performances for children. Over the summer of 2014 he worked three shows a day, six days a week, at the Storybook Island theme park with his Castle Of Magic children’s show. His Grand Magic stage show is used by the Big Brothers/Big Sisters organization as a fund-raiser. When Duane performs for that group, his show becomes a “big stage illusion kid-show.”
A Popular speaker at the Mother Conference, Duane holds the record of most consecutive original lectures at KIDabra Conference!
5:30 PM Dinner Break
Thursday January 28: Evening at KAX Conference
7:00 PM AX At KAX
An Evening of Axtell Surprises!
Join Steve, for Amazing, Jaw dropping surprise after surprise!
World premieres, and a look inside the genius of Axtell!
This is A KAX Highlight Event!
9:30 PM Vendors Show and Fun!
Followed by the opening of The KAX Vendors Room
11:30 PM: KAX Late Night
Buster Balloon hosts
The Balloon Jam Wow!
BYOB (Bring your Own Balloons)
Friday January 30: KAX Conference Continues
8:30 AM KAX: The KIDabra Midyear
Registration Open
Vendors Open 9:00 AM
Your host for the day is John Bobik
9:30 AM Alberto Nava
Balloon Headband Workshop
From Milan, Italy, Alberto Nava takes you beyond Balloon Hats for your show and teaches you his original concept of wearable art. Kids and Adults alike love his Balloon Headbands and you'll love learning how to add them to your work.
Alberto has performed magic since he was 8 years old and as a top pro he has added balloons into his show very successfully!
10:30 AM KID Talks
Knowledge-Imagination-Delight
Ken Scott
Clients = Fans
Kathy Prosser
Think Like a KID,
Write Like an Adult
Mark Truman
Road Crew of One
1:30 PM
An Afternoon with John Hardman
Noon: Lunch
Items available for purchase in The Market and great restaurants are around the area.
At KAX, you'll meet one of the coolest guys around who has touched and impacted so many of us in ways beyond comprehension.
In Ventura, CA he helped encourage a young couple who had started a company building puppets, and they went on to puppeteer in over 30 television shows together.
You know Bev Bergeron is famous as Rebo the Clown, at KAX you'll meet the guy who first played Rebo and would go on to be an integral part of Mark Wilson's Magical Productions Team!
You'll meet a puppeteer who worked on live productions and TV specials for Sid and Marty Kroft and who, as a producer, would shape live entertainment for Six Flags Parks for years.
Come met John as he chats with his friend Steve Axtell and enchants you with special performances! Don't Miss A Very Special Afternoon with John Hardman!
3:00 PM Gary Dunn
From Scotland, in his First American Feature Lecture Appearance!
Entertaining Children with Nothing... Almost! Tons of good ideas and routines for all kids entertainers. All useable, no fillers, and very funny!
5:30 PM Break
Dining Choices available in the hotel and the area.
Friday January 30: Friday Night at KAX Conference
An Evening with Willie Tyler
Hosted by Matt Bailey
7:00 PM
See You at K-A-X
Willie On David Letterman
8:30 PM Visit the Vendors and Network
10:00 PM KAX Late Night Event:
The First Power of The Puppet
Hosted by Joe Selph
In an evening dedicated to The Master: Rene, you'll see rare Marionettes, hear incredible stories and reminiscence. Then with the help of some amazing friends- vent and puppetry tips and performances abound.
There is no telling what you may see, participate in, and learn during this fantastic late night event! Joe brought "Poppin' Fresh" for us to enjoy last January, and we can't wait to experience the incredible surprises in store!
Saturday January 31: KAX The Final Day
8:30 AM KAX: The KIDabra Midyear
2015 KAX Pre-Registration Opens
Vendors Open 9:00 AM
Your hosts for the day are Dal and Cinde Sanders
10:00 AM Chad Wonder
"Marketing for Entertainers LIVE."
Chad Wonder will step you through the 7 best marketing ideas generated from his dynamic group of almost 2,000 performers. It’ll be like getting a thousand years of collective advice in 60 minutes. Bring your smart phone, tablet or laptop, be logged into Facebook and on the Marketing for Entertainers group. During the event you’ll answer some poll questions and during a brief Q and A you’ll even see responses from performers around the world, Live!
As family and kid's entertainers, we often get so focused on our laser targeted marketing we miss out on other chances to reach a broader audience. Chad has taken some of the best ideas and re-molded them to make sense for you!
11:00 AM From Belguim, Rafael
Creativity in KIDshows!
In his first US Lecure Appearance the wildly creative Rafael brings you fresh, innovative ideas and thoughts for making your own show more creative!
Rafael is truly a many-sided artist! He is an award winning magician, inventor, comedian, illusionist and world traveler. Magic and clowning inspired him at a very early age, setting up his first show at the age of 6.
He has appeared on stages all over the world, including Wintergarten Varieté in Berlin, the Opera house in Blackpool, Theater Carré in Amsterdam, Olympia in Paris and performances before the royal family in Monte Carlo
His TV appearances include "The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (CBS)
He is a true master in hilarious improvisations, with an awesome sense for originality, humor and imagination..
You will definitely enjoy his wacky and wonderful performance
To read and see more about Rafael visit
Noon: Lunch
Items available for purchase in The Market and great restaurants are around the area.
1:30 PM Michael Rosander
The Element of Surprise!
Under his company, No Sleeves Magic, Michael Rosander lets his imagination run wild. He is passionate about creating productions that incorporate SURPRISE, comedy, magic, clowning, and unique characters with one unifying theme. His degree in theatre has given him the structure and knowledge to mold shows in such a way that every trick and action has a purpose and every transition propels the story forward.
In addition to his love for tomfoolery, Michael Rosander enjoys a career as a working actor for film and television. He can be seen in the TV series Under The Dome, Sleepy Hollow, the host for Walmart commercials, and several award-winning short films. Rosander recently finished his first lead role in the film Adrenaline starring John Schneider.
At KAX, Michael brings wild surprises and wicked good creativity to help you surprise your audiences too!
3:00 PM Jay Johnson
The Third Eye: Imagination
We close KAX Conference
with a talk to send you out soaring!
The "Third Eye" is the "I" that stands for Imagination In the Triangle of Inspiration, Intelligence and Imagination.
Venture with Tony Award Winning Jay Johnson as he explores with you how you see things, and how your Inspriation and Intelligence become the fuel for Imagination!
A KAX Highlight Feature Event!
Saturday January 31: The Saturday Night Gala 8:00 PM
Featuring the Stars of KAX!
Masters of Ceremonies: From England Kimmo and From Atlanta Ken Scott
And Starring Willie Tyler and Lester, From Scotland: Gary Dunn, and from The Netherlands: Neils Duinker, plus surprises and fun galore!
Join us for a fun evening of Laughs, Magic, Ventriloquism, and Fun. Open to the public, tickets available at the door and KAX Registration Booth! (Your conference badge is your ticket.)
